Web-cleaning apparatus for electrostatic printer/copier

Abstract

A cleaner for removing particulate material from the surface of a moving web having a customer-replaceable cleaning cartridge including a pair of spaced, parallel cleaning blades supported by a sump housing having an easily removable lid assembly with a narrow opening through which the blades project at an angle, the lid member has slot features for locking it to the sump housing tabs and preferably, the lid member is sealed against the sump housing by compression of a foam gasket; a backup shoe assembly positioned to contact the web surface opposite the cleaning blades and provide resistance to the cleaning blades; and a bracket assembly for releasably supporting the cleaning cartridge in an operative position in which the cleaning blades contact the web surface to be cleaned and cooperate with the shoe assembly to wipe particulate material from the web.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A cleaning cartridge adapted for use in a web-cleaning apparatus for removing particulate material from a surface of a moving web, said cartridge comprising: 
 (a) at least one cleaning blade, said cleaning blade having an elongated rigid member with a rectilinear edge and a flexible blade element extension;    (b) a sump housing for receiving and storing particulate material, said sump housing having opposing side walls shaped to receive and support therebetween said cleaning blade in a predetermined position, said sump housing further comprising a first set of features; and    (c) a lid assembly in a removable secured relation with said sump housing to form an enclosed chamber with said sump housing, said lid assembly comprising a lid member having a substantially planar upper surface with an elongated opening through which the flexible blade members of said cleaning blades project, and said lid assembly further comprising a second set of features that mate with said first set of features.    
     
     
         2 . The cleaning cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein said sump housing further comprises an attachment mechanism that holds said baffle in its desired position.  
     
     
         3 . The cleaning cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein said sump housing further comprises as said first set of features a plurality of tabs located on opposite sides of said sump housing.  
     
     
         4 . The cleaning cartridge of  claim 3 , wherein said lid assembly further comprises as said second set of features a plurality of slots that mate with said plurality of tabs to form an attachment mechanism.  
     
     
         5 . The cleaning cartridge of  claim 3 , wherein said plurality of tabs further comprise a set of upstream tabs located on the upstream side of said sump assembly and a set of downstream tabs located on the downstream side of said sump assembly.  
     
     
         6 . The cleaning cartridge of  claim 5 , wherein said plurality of tabs further comprises at least one of said sets having a ramped edge to facilitate snap on engagement with said lid.  
     
     
         7 . The cleaning cartridge as defined by  claim 1 , further comprising a baffle that fits within said sump housing in a predetermined position.  
     
     
         8 . The cleaning cartridge of  claim 7 , further comprising a gasket between said sump housing and said lid, said gasket being compressed by the mating of said first set of features with said second set of features.  
     
     
         9 . The cleaning cartridge of  claim 1 , further comprising a bracket for supporting said sump.  
     
     
         10 . The cleaning cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein said bracket further comprises at least one assembly mounting feature that is formed as a slot to facilitate ease of replacement of said shoe assembly.